Point of Information to the Theist Community

I have something to say … and it isn’t pretty and it isn’t nice and it isn’t remotely politically correct. I am sick unto death of religion, of the prating and the bullshit and the claims they can’t back up … all of it. I’ve tolerated both Jehovah’s Witlesses and Mor(m)ons at my door, neither of which were either invited or welcome, yet I talked to them and tolerated them, even smiled at them and wished them a good day, despite the fact that they have nothing believable or even remotely substantial to say about their gods or their prophets or their saviors. No great surprise there, really … since how much substance was there to Jupiter or Ra or Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva? Yeah, I know, not much, though all these guys want to say that they’re different somehow.

So now you’re all bent out of shape because we atheists call you on your crap … and maybe not today or tomorrow, but sometime in the not so distant future, you may want to come gunning for us. That would be a mistake. You see, fact is, while I haven’t armed myself … YET … I keep an eye on things. I follow the news, local, state, national, and so on, and if it were to come to my attention that there were gangs running about around Northeast Ohio, whether christian, islamic, or whatever, thinking that they wanted to start taking on atheists … well, I would have no choice but to arm myself, much as I would prefer not to.

And I WOULD arm myself, fully and properly, and I would likely spend some time at the local range, polishing skills which were first taught me by my grandfather. Did I mention my grandfather was a cop, a cop who was rated sharpshooter, though he never once had to draw his gun in anger, who loaded and dialed in his own rounds very nearly to perfection (I know – I fired my share of his loads).

And if you want to come after me and/or mine, there will be a penalty involved … a very severe penalty for your foolishness. I mean, I haven’t gone after you. I’ve said multiple times that you can believe as you please, so long as you leave me and mine alone and you don’t attempt to mess with the government we live under. Yet apparently, you didn’t want to listen or you figured that you could get away with murder. You figured wrong … and if you have to have my life, you’ll discover that said life comes at a very dear cost.

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A very good post, Loren. I find it amazing that some christians are saying the extremists are "getting ahead of us and we have to do something." What does that mean? Maybe plan a different type of 9/11 event. Very scarey!

Back in the day I was very good with a handgun. Now my christian friend is into concealed carry and everything with him is "guns and Jesus."

This is EXACTLY my point, Write4U, and you don't even have to be the antichrist. Just be an apostate, and you qualify for their sanction. Their problem is that I Know That ... and the point of this whole business is a very simple maxim which I mean to practice and quite seriously:

I refuse to be afraid, Sandi. I AM, however, concerned, sufficiently enough to keep my ears open to what is going on. Thankfully, this is northern Ohio and far less given to the kind of madness you are subject to. I am not so Pollyannish as to think it couldn't happen here.

My ears remain open, and if the need arises that I have to act, I won't hesitate for a microsecond.

We are all afraid in some way or another. One of our arguments to the religious is that no war has been started in the name of atheism and much less can be said for religion. We all know that. At the rate that christians have been attacking atheists verbally (Jessica Ahlquist comes to mind) threats become a real danger. @ Dan, as an Aussie living in the armed bible belt of Texas, you can never be sure what the guy with the gun is thinking. I feel more 'outed' here that I ever did at home and guns are so commonplace here (and a god given right!). You cannot completely understand the mentality until you live it for a few years. I basically keep to myself in my town and it isn't so bad here, but speak out online. I can't say I distrust my neighbor, but I will keep an eye on him. I don't mean to discredit any American citizen, hell, I co-habit with one, but the access to firearms for some should not be so easy. My friend bought an AK-47 thingy the other day and I was totally shocked that he could especially when his IQ is lower than my pet fish (*whispers* and he is a christian!). I hope that no atheist has to come to this to defend sanity, logic and reason but I do understand the right to defend yourself.

It is so odd that I am reading this post, because I have had similar misgivings regarding the future in America and possibly the world. I am not normally one to believe in premonitions, but I do believe in listening to what my brain/body is telling me. My "premonitions" may have been brought on by reading World War Z by Max Weber (though I don't believe in the actual zombie part). I also pay attention to what goes on in the world and in this country, and something is twiddling my subconscious. As soon as we have the funds, my husband and I are already planning on getting some firearms and learning to use them. I don't plan on going on any kind of rampage, and if I never have to fire the guns outside of a firing range I will die a happy woman. But there again, I do not want to get caught flat-footed if/when everything falls down around our ears...

Loren, take the 10 minute trip. I already have. 30-30, 12 gauge, .20 gauge, .22 rile, and a .38 snub nose at my bedside (loaded with "wadcutters"). And those who know me, know I'm armed. No, I'm not gunning for anyone, nor do I have a desire to use them on anyone. I do, however, have a will to survive.

Napoleon, there's a gun store not 10 minutes from where I am right at the moment, and others within easy distance. If push comes to shove (and so far, it hasn't), I have no compunction whatsoever about taking what action is necessary to protect me and mine. Trust me, I've heard the one about bringing a knife to a gunfight.

As to the law, that varies from state to state, but self-defense is generally cut and dried, especially on one's own property, and yes, that includes the use of lethal force to defend one's domicile.

To repeat, I don't want to be put in the position of having to arm myself ... but if I see the situation changing, I won't hesitate.

As I said earlier, part of this blog was a reaction to that five-part Dawkins piece I saw earlier that day. Part of it comes from an earlier blog I wrote, based on the movie Easy Rider, wherein I also intimated religion's possible reaction to its loss of power and influence, said reaction coming from much the same kind of people as those who figured into the end of Easy Rider.

They say that the first step in avoiding a trap is knowing that it is there. Both that earlier entry and this one are essentially me, expressing my awareness of the problem or the potential for a problem. Sure, there are millions of christians who are relatively indifferent to our atheism. Unfortunately, there are also christians who actively promote dominionism and the New Apostolic Reformation, who would possibly point to atheists after the same fashion that a certain Western European leader of the 1930's and 40's pointed to another minority as the root cause for his country's ills. As to whether the best case, worst case, or something in between is what comes out in the wash, I Do Not Know ... but I refuse to go about my life like Pollyanna, expecting everything to work out in the end when I know damned well that it doesn't always.

All of this may be nothing more than a lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing. It'd be nice if it worked out that way ... but the word "assume" still puts an ASS in front of U and ME, a view and smell I have never cared for and won't indulge in.

i've seen enough posts from Loren to know that he is no nutt job, or anything of the sort. i don't agree that we are close to any kind of violence as Loren is afraid of. i certainly agree that it is possible though. tensions are escalating, at least here in America. church's are losing members left and right, largely to non-theistic beliefs. fundamentalism is reigning in religion, as those who are left are digging in and using the age old strategy of fear-mongering through Biblical literism. it seems as though religion has realized that a progressive, hands off approach simply cannot keep the flock in line, so they've reverted to old school approaches that worked well throughout the centuries. what's left is a country divided, a true culture war. both sides are more vocal and strident. the internet is a conduit for information on both sides, which strengthens each sides views. Loren, i would recommend keeping the faith, so to speak, that nothing escalates to the vision that you are worried about. go ahead an prepare yourself, but keep it to that.